Automated banking machines are well known. A common type of automated banking machine used by consumers is an automated teller machine (“ATM”). ATMs enable customers to carry out banking transactions. Common banking transactions that may be carried out with ATMs include the dispensing of cash, the receipt of deposits, the transfer of funds between accounts, the payment of bills and account balance inquiries. The type of banking transactions a customer can carry out are determined by capabilities of the particular banking machine and the programming of the institution operating the machine. Other types of automated banking machines may allow customers to charge against accounts or to transfer funds. Other types of automated banking machines may print or dispense items of value such as coupons, tickets, wagering slips, vouchers, checks, food stamps, money orders, scrip or travelers checks. For purposes of this disclosure an ATM, an automated banking machine, or an automated transaction machine shall encompass any device which carries out transactions including transfers of value.
Many ATMs include modem processing systems with fast processors, large amounts of memory, and large storage devices. Such processing systems enable ATMs to display high resolution graphical user interfaces which may include audio visual presentations and other processor intensive applications. Although short interruptions in the operation of an ATM may occur when the ATM is being serviced, in general ATMs are available for consumer use 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Unfortunately consumers do not generally use ATMs continuously 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Even the most heavily used ATMs experience a significant number of idle periods of non-consumer use. Although small amounts of processing power may be used for maintaining the ATMs in an available state for future consumer uses, generally during such idle periods the processing systems of ATMs remain significantly underutilized. Consequently there exists a need for a system and method of providing productive uses for unused processing power in ATMs.
ATMs typically generate income from transaction fees. Unfortunately during off peak hours such as the early morning hours of a day, relatively few consumer transactions may be performed resulting in relatively small amounts of income being generated. As a result there further exists a need for a system and method of generating additional income from ATMs during off peak hours.